The Spider-Man--Kid Psionic Series, Pt 2: Never Be the Same Again
by I Left My Cake Out in the Rain
Summary: In the aftermath of the Decimation, the remaining Avengers - along with Jackson and Harry - navigate the universe as its collapse occurs. SPOILERS for Endgame abroad. There will, of course, be a lot of divergence from canon, but the story largely takes place in the five year gap. (ON INDEFINITE HIATUS)


_**A/N**_: Welcome to the sequel. I couldn't leave the plot solo after the way I finished _We Don't Need Another Hero_. It only got more and more clear that I needed to write a follow-up after I saw _Endgame_. Only twice now but, in order to keep muse going, at least another few times.

* * *

Jackson needed someone. _Anyone_. To tell him what the fuck just happened. Then it hit him. Thanos. Infinity Gauntlet. Half the universe. "Oh my Gods," he murmured before glancing up at Harry. "We gotta find out who else—" His voice teetered on breaking as he moved to get up.

Harry helped him to his feet. "Jacks— Do you know... anything about what this is?"

The brunet nodded. "Yeah. Space Duvalier used a magic glove to snap half of life as we know it out of existence." He swallowed. "Okay, let's go see who else doesn't need to a Dust Buster." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and they vanished.

* * *

Harry was the first to enter the house. "Chaz?" He called out. "Cameron?" There was no answer.

Jackson had to catch up to him, looking in each room until he found Harry sitting beside an empty wheelchair and a discarded X-Men comic. "Harry—" He bent down next to him. "We're gonna find a way to fix this. We'll get them back."

* * *

Their next stop was the New York Sanctum, where other people were wandering aimlessly outside. "Oh, man," Jackson muttered. He went up and rapped on the door. It opened to reveal a young man, probably in his early twenties, in a robe. "I—"

"We know who you are. The Sorcerer Supreme is absent at the moment." He blinked and the facade fell. "Over two-thirds of our guys are gone. I have no idea where Master Wong is. But your brother is—"

Jackson was silent for a moment before he spoke, barely above a whisper. "Joel's gone?" The man nodded. Jackson leaned against the door.

"If you'd like, you can stay—"

Jackson put up his hand. "Thank you but I gotta— I can't." He looked away. "C'mon."

* * *

The teenagers appeared at the front of the Avengers compound. Jackson pressed the call box. "Hello! Someone, please! It's Kid Psionic! I brought a survivor!"

The gate buzzed and opened. "Let's go." The two ran up to the doors, which were already open, waiting for them. "Hello?"

"Jackson Shanley?" There was a woman he'd never seen before. The brunet glanced at Harry, who seemed awestruck by her appearance. He drove his elbow into the blond's gut and nodded.

"H-how do you know me?" It was the first thing out of his mouth. She pointed to a monitor with old security footage. He groaned.

Harry stumbled over something and Jackson looked at him with a scoff. "What is wrong with you?" He then saw the raccoon on its hind legs with an array of weapons attached to a harness, and raised an eyebrow. "Huh."

"You never see anything like me before?"

Jackson glanced back at Harry. "Guess he hasn't." His lips quirked into a bit of a smirk. "Myself, however... I've seen some pretty cool stuff over the years. This trumps all of it."

"Kid Psionic?" Jackson snapped to attention at the sight of Captain Rogers. "Any other survivors?"

"No, sir. My friend Harry and I did. Our friends didn't. My cousins— my brother—" He exhaled. "I saw Iron Man and Spider-Man yesterday. I— I don't know what to do." A mug appeared beside his head, startling him. Taking it, Jackson glanced around, ending on Thor. "Thanks."

Steve held his hand out and the teenager pouted. "Thor, he's a grow—" Jackson raised an eyebrow. "He's eighteen."

"I am fully capable of handling my liquor, thanks." He took a sip. "Damn." He downed it in five seconds flat. Steve looked like he wanted to probe but decided against it. They needed to get a game plan together.

* * *

It was three weeks before the remains of the team could figure out a good enough plan. The woman who Jackson met introduced herself as Carol Danvers, and Jackson was often found pulling Harry away from following her around. If anything else, he spent most of his time alone in the room he was given, despite everyone's insistence that none of it was his fault. It wasn't that he felt guilty. He just had a lot on his mind and had no one he was open enough with to talk to about it.

"Jackson?" The door opened and the teenager looked up to see Steve. "We came up with a plan and we're going to fix this. You want to join us or stay here?"

"I'll stay here, thanks. Someone has to hold down the fort." He didn't say what was really weighing on his mind, which was that if he _did_ go, he'd probably screw it up somehow. "I'll see you guys later?" He smiled a little. "I'll make dinner?"

Steve knew better. All Jackson had talked about—when he wasn't being a recluse—was helping make Thanos pay. "Okay." He shut the door gently.

* * *

Jackson had prepared something short of a feast for the impending victory. He knew they could do something. _Anything_. He wanted his family back. His friends. Stark hadn't told him directly but Jackson knew Peter had been disintegrated. He heard the ship returning and hurried outside to greet them but the looks on their faces confirmed his worst suspicions.

He crumpled to the ground and hiccuped. Someone put a hand on his shoulder. It was Dr. Banner. Jackson looked up at the scientist, who only shook his head. "Oh my Gods."


End file.
